The Ten Best National Park Gateway Towns:

The National Park gateway towns are more than just a place to grab a quick meal or a shower.  Many of them have become full fledged tourist destinations of their own.  Of course, as they become more hip and popular with tourists, they can lose some of the vibe that made them popular in the first place.

Any list like this is subjective of course.  I have visits to several of these gateway towns scheduled in the next 60 days to possibly change my opinion and move up or down the list.  Without further ado:

Honorable Mention) Key West FL:  Key West is the jump off point to Dry Tortugas National Park. This town can get overwhelmed by partying tourists from the cruise ships that stop here.

10) Springdale UT:  Located at the west entrance to Zion National Park, this small town is as beautiful as it is congested.

9) Gatlinburg TN: Gatlinburg is known for having the most pancake houses per capita almost as much as for being the gateway to ultra popular Smoky Mountains National Park.

8) Gardiner MT: Located at the north entrance to Yellowstone NP, near Mammoth Hot Springs.  This small town feels more authentic and less tourist trap. I had some great pizza here once at Yellowstone Pizza Company.

The Roosevelt Arch as you leave Gardiner and enter Yellowstone NP

7) Williams AZ: This iconic Route 66 town is almost an hour to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. That’s a little farther than most on this list, but the Grand Canyon Railway runs daily from here to the Grand Canyon Village.

Williams AZ on a snowy day.

6) Port Angeles WA: This small seaside town is a great base to explore the massive Olympic National Park. Port Angeles also features a ferry to beautiful Victoria BC.

Olympic National Park Visitor Center near Port Angeles

5) Durango CO: This wild west town is the gateway to Mesa Verde National Park. The historic Main Street is a great place to explore.

4) Whitefish MT: Whitefish is the gateway to gorgeous Glacier National Park. Wander Main Street and visit the many coffee shops and enjoy the lively art scene.

3) Moab UT: Moab is not the gateway to one National Park, but two: Arches and Canyonlands. This small desert town on the Colorado River is popular with bikers and off-road jeep enthusiasts.

My son Grant near “Tow-Mater” in Moab

2) Jackson WY: Jackson is ideally located at the southern entrance to Grand Teton National Park. The town square with elk antler arches is a great photo op before dining in one of the many fine dining establishments.

An arch made of elk antlers in Jackson WY

1) Bar Harbor ME: This quintessential New England coastal town is the gateway to Acadia National Park. Combine fresh Maine lobster and the unique low tide trek to neighboring Bar Island for a great time. I love the vibe here.

Beautiful Bar Harbor as seen from Bar Island

rk

How to spend a day in Acadia National Park

Coastline of Acadia National Park

Acadia is a gorgeous national park set on the coast of Maine.    I think the best times to go are in the fall where you can see the leaves change color.   That is also a popular time in the park so plan your travel arrangements ahead of time.   There are several nice hotels in Bar Harbor, but if you want to stay in the park you will be camping.   Blackwoods Campground is a nice convenient location and is where I stayed during my last visit.   On previous visits, I had used hotel points to stay in Bar Harbor.

View from the top of the Precipice Trail

Start your day early with quick exhilarating hikes at Precipice Trail and Beehive Trail.   They are both on the east side and more heavily traveled part of the island.   The views from the tops of these trails are amazing.   Go from there to see the waves crash at Thunder Hole (if you catch the tides right you will hear why it is called Thunder Hole) and then a short distance to the magnificent views from Otter Point.

Grab brunch and those delicious popovers and jam at Jordan Pond and then shoot over to the less traveled west side of the island.   Go straight to the Perpendicular Trail to test your endurance and be rewarded with a bird’s eye view over the west side of the island.   You can also see the Cranberry Islands off the coast.   From there it is a quick drive to the Bass Harbor Lighthouse.    By this time, you should be ready for a late lunch of lobster rolls at Charlotte’s Legendary Lobster Pound.   This is a road side shack between Bass Harbor and Seawall.

Bass Harbor Lighthouse

Drive back across the island now to Bar Harbor and at low tide cross over to Bar Island.   During low tide a path to this island emerges from the ocean.   A quick hike to the peak of Bar Island overlooks the town of Bar Harbor where you can try and spot where you want to get dinner that night.   You have only about a 3-hour window to get across and back, but that is plenty of time.   Finish the afternoon with some shopping in Bar Harbor and dinner at Paddy’s Irish Pub or one of the other great restaurants in town.   Finish the day with a couple Mexican Hot Chocolate’s to go from Choco-Latte and a drive to the top of Cadillac Mountain to see the stars come out.

View of Bar Harbor from Bar Island at Low Tide

You should sleep well and probably late after that busy day.   Before leaving Acadia the next morning, grab a late breakfast at Two Cats.   I recommend the lobster omelet there.   I hope you enjoy your trip.

rk

Acadia National Park near Thunder Hole